An Unexpectedly Good Film

Rating: Null/10 (19 February 2004)

When I rented 28 days later on dvd from blockbuster, I wasn't expecting much: a lot of gore, usual end of the world cliches, and ultimately a bad film. To my dismay, however, 28 Days Later completely surprised me and surpassed my expectations by a lot. This film is scary in a sense, although I didn't have a problem sleeping after seeing the film. What is so great about 28 Days is the director, Danny Boyle, who if I was a member of the Academy, I would have penciled him in for a nomination for Best Director for 2003. Of course, the Academy stays clear of horror films, but in my view, this film would be the exception. His use of the hand held digital camera makes 28 Days Later a surprisingly beautiful film even though its of the horror genre. I would even go far to say that this is the most beautiful (if such a thing is possible) and best shot horror film I have ever seen. In essence, this is an artsy horror film, not your typical action filled film whose only purpose is to scare the audience. This film really isn't about killer zombies, but rather, about how humans act in such desperate situations, or more specifically, how humans completely isolated from the outside world function and interact with one another. Again, Boyle's direction is the best part of the film. The shots at the beginning of the movie of an abandoned London are some of the most chilling ever captured on film. Furthermore, the way Boyle portrays the journey from London to Manchester in the middle of the film is truly a work of art. Other positive features of the film are the musical score, the acting, and the twisted last thirty minutes of the film. Don't buy into the alternative endings on the dvd: Boyle got it right the first time. 28 Days Later was one of the 10 best films of 2003, and I highly recommend this film to any who enjoys good film making.